Every time I leave home, I'm struck by the fact that I have that choice. I'm not being forced out by violence, persecution, or a crooked landlord.
An article in the NY Times called "In a Refugee's Bags, Memories of Home"* paints a poignant picture of things left behind when refugees and displaced people have to leave their homes and possessions. But the picture is juxtaposed with creative ways that refugees bring pieces of their homes and places with them. For one woman it's a dress that holds the landscape of her beloved city in Iraq. For a musician it's the melody of a song sung in his native Syriac; for another it's a wooden string instrument. All of these are reminders of who they are and where they come from.
More so, they are a picture of their resiliency and willingness to keep on living, to not believe that all is lost.
... their stories....reveal not only what they have lost, but also the beautiful things they have saved, or remade.
I am far from home today, and I write this while sitting in an airport, surrounded by other travelers. I carry these stories with me, treasuring them for what they teach me about hope, about resiliency, about keeping on living even when it seems all is lost.
Take a look at the story today by clicking here. You won't be disappointed!
*by STEPHANIE SALDAÑA
